Us
by princess.ann
Summary: The girl looked over to Edmund and an almost evil smirk twisted onto her face, her eyes lit up with excitement. "This is my daughter, Cecilia Lune." And that was when Edmund knew. He hated this girl. EdmundOC. Set during The Horse & His Boy.
1. Chapter 1: Heartless

**This is a story that I've had bobbing around in my head for a while now and I'm really excited to finally start it.  
It takes place during the Horse and His Boy, except its more Pevensie-centric and I've played around with a few different plot lines, basically one major plot line, which you will see once you read... haha.**

**I don't own anything other than my OC which is Cecilia Lune (also I understand that King Lune's last name isn't Lune and therefore Lune isn't technically her last name, but I happen to feel as though it rolls off the tongue very nicely, so think of it as a hyphened name, like Mary-Kate, except people call her Mary as a short form.)**

_Heartless_

* * *

The first time that Edmund had ever met her was at the coronation party.

The whole night was a bit of a blur of dancing, drunken fauns and Peter being his annoying self-now, 'High King' self. Edmund was on his twentieth eye roll of the night as he listened to Peter retell the story of saving Susan and Lucy from the wolf at the river, it was possibly his favourite story to tell –it being the first time he ever dirtied his sword- and because of this Edmund had heard it more than a hundred times, all different versions of course, each one getting more magnificent than the last.

Of course, it was just the little things that were annoying him these days. The family was definitely stronger now, which they were all thankful for. Though he had a sneaky suspicion that he would never feel worthy of his family's trust again, he made a vow to do all that was in his power to gain their trust back, if not for them; for him.

Edmund felt a slight nudge at the side of his arm and turned to Susan who gave him an eye raise, reminding him that it was rude not to listen. She got more like mom everyday.

There were two childish squeals of laughter when Peter got to end of the story heard over the hearty chuckles of the older lords. Edmund turned to Lucy's direction, knowing that one of them belonged to her.

Her eyes were wide and sparkled with the sense of magic, while her curls bounced with her bobbing head. She was turned to another young girl beside her and they were both laughing at what seemed to be their own inside joke. The girl was nothing special-he hadn't really expected to see other children at their coronation... though there were many-she had brown eyes and fair skin. She was petite, slightly taller than Lucy and her puffy red gown looked too big on her. A thin, golden circlet sat atop her brown, shoulder length, curly hair, which he could only assume meant that she was the daughter of one of the Kings who had come. The thing that had most stood out to Edmund was that she had a loud annoying laugh that was beginning to give him a headache.

He turned from them and directed his attention back to Peter as he explained how exactly the White Witch was vanquished.

"And then Ed comes out of nowhere and just hacks her wand right in two!" Edmund could feel his face heat up and knew instantly that his ears were bright red with embarrassment, and suddenly his mashed potatoes were the most interesting thing ever. "I swear, if you could have seen the look on her face... it was priceless. Of course then she went and stabbed him." Peter's voice dropped off in the end and Edmund looked up to see that all the eyes at the table were on him.

"Nah, it was nothing I can't handle, Pete." he threw the table a smirk and everyone laughed before turning back to Peter for the end of the story.

A muffled laughter came from Lucy's direction and Edmund saw that she and her new best friend were once again trying to cover up peels of laughter. This was really beginning to annoy him; if he had to listen to Peter then so did Lucy.

He leaned slightly over his plate and snapped his fingers in her direction, her head swung towards him, her lips turned up into a great big smile. "Lucy" it came out a little harsher than he meant, as her smile quickly faded and her new friend's eyes were narrowed as she watched what happened. "Maybe you should start acting like Queen and actually listen to others instead of being extremely disrespectful and giggling to yourself over there." Edmund raised his eyebrows to show her that he was serious, and her face etched with sadness. He instantly felt bad and tried to throw Lucy a smile, but she was didn't see it as her eyes were on her plate.

The tension was broke when something orange flew into his peripheral vision and hit him square in the forehead. Lucy's friend threw her head back and laughed at her good aim, causing Lucy to spurt into laughter as well. Edmund looked down at the baby carrot that now sat in his lap and back to Lucy, who was having a hard time staying on her chair while holding onto her friend. He looked around the table, making sure that no one was paying them any attention.

He fought the urge to throw the carrot back, but knew that Susan would definitely catch him. Placing the carrot beside his plate, he tuned back into Peter, who was once again telling another story. His curiosity getting the best of him, Edmund glanced back over to Lucy's friend, who was waving another carrot at him with a menacing look. He rolled his eyes, and adjusted his circlet, hoping that would send the message that he was the king in the situation.

The rest of the dinner passed relatively uneventful. It was much easier to tune out Lucy and her random out once they dismissed themselves early going off to play somewhere and Edmund managed to talk to a few other world leaders. His favourite so far was King Lune, the happy man who ran Archenland. King Lune had a six year old son who was being kept busy by a nanny as his mother had died recently and an older daughter who was apparently 'somewhere around here'. And though the old king had mention his daughter's age relation to Edmund's a number of times adding that 'she'll make a fine wife to a fine king one day' with a hard pat on the back, Edmund was able to steer the conversation away (before he knew it, he'd probably accidently agree to an arranged marriage) by asking a generic question about Archenland's army; launching the King into several long war stories which brought them right to the end of the meal.

After the meal, Edmund was standing off to the side, discussing country alliances with a dwarf when King Lune found him once again, a large smile plastered on his face.

"Ed, M'boy!" Edmund couldn't help but chuckle at the older man's very red face, "just came to introduce you to my daughter! Finally tracked her down, though it took a while, she's seemed to take quite a liking to your sister. Cecilia, over hear sweetheart." the king beckoned to someone who appeared to be having troubles getting through the crowd and after what seemed like forever (Ed had almost forgotten why and who he was waiting for), Lucy's petite friend in the red dress ran to her father's side.

"Yes Daddy?" she asked, tipping her small head of frizzy curls back to look at her father,

"This is King Edmund, dear. I think he's the only one you haven't met yet." The little girl looked over to Edmund and an almost evil smirk twisted onto her face, her eyes lit up with excitement. "This is my daughter, Cecilia Lune." She bowed her head and held her dress out in a curtsy,

"Very pleased to make your acquaintance." she said in a high voice. When she met his eyes again, Edmund was seriously afraid.

That was when he knew.

He hated this girl.

* * *

Six years later...

Cecilia Lune swung her long legs up on her seat crossing them Calormen style. Her long velvet skirts spilled over the edges and pooled on the floor. She fidgeted with the thick silver sash tied around her gut trying to remember the last time she breathed.

She felt out of place—too old. A sixteen-year old should never feel old... it's like a rule. She saw a blur of her twelve-year old brother chasing the newly fourteen Queen Lucy around Cair Paravel's grand hall, perfectly decorated in shades of pink for the special occasion. However as out of place as she was; she was happy to get out of Archenland for the time being as her father had made it his personal job to find her a suitor.

She sighed, looking at the large face of the clock, relieved to find that there were only a few more minutes until Edmund got out of King Meetings and could rescue her. Cecilia loved Lucy-she was her best friend... when they were alone. But when she was surrounded by all of Lucy's younger friends, she couldn't help but remember that she was a whole two years older than her.

Rubbing her temples with her fingers to ward off another migraine caused by childish squeals and screaming, she made the split decision to get the hell out of there. Cecilia picked up her skirts and watched her feet actually land on the ground (she didn't need to draw more attention to herself by falling while trying to escape). Once she was sure that she wasn't going to trip on flat ground, something she did often, she quickly glanced around, making sure that the coast was clear as Lucy was surrounded by daughters of lords and kings, and slipped out of the room unnoticed.

Knowing that she had to get out of this dress, Cecilia quickly made her way to her room, only to find that her lady's maid, Heather, packed her only gowns and... more gowns. Beginning to panic slightly, she searched the barely filled wardrobe in her guest room for anything wearable, only to find a few of Susan's old dresses that were sure to be too big on Cecilia. Not that she didn't love all her pretty dresses, but ever since the goose hunt for a suitor began, her pretty dresses were upgraded to tighter, more adult, gowns. She wasn't sure what the difference between a dress and a gown was, but Heather had told her on many occasions that there was one.

As a thought struck her, she ran out the door to Edmund's room, a few doors down, for she knew that he had a few of her riding clothes stowed away at the back of his wardrobe. Edmund's door was ajar as he had yet to return from whatever meeting he was in with Peter. She bypassed his desk and bed and pulled the thick doors of the wardrobe open. It was so deep that she ended up on her knees on the floor with her long arms stretched to the very back, wiggling her feet back and forth to reach out further as her fingers finally brushed upon something soft and feminine and she snatched what ever it was up.

Resurfacing from the wardrobe, she found a very tall Edmund standing over her, His eyebrows were raised in amusement and his circlet was lopsided on his short, dark curls,

"Oh, hello." She tried downplaying the situation with a smiled and a batting of her eyelashes,

"What the hell are you doing?" okay, so it didn't work.

"I was searching for some of my clothes, and just how long have you been standing there? You could've helped! Chivalry isn't all dead!" She was sitting Calormen style on the floor sorting through her found clothing

"It is when you are trespassing and rummaging through my wardrobe." He smirked

"Why? What have you got in there?... you know I thought that I felt something silky..."

"Was it this?" he reached down and pulled a girl's robin egg blue tunic from her pile. Cecilia's face lit up,

"Oh! I thought I lost that!" she smiled at Edmund, and took it from his hands, holding it out so he could see it fully, "the one with the wide, half-length sleeves." She paused and waited for him to say something like 'I'm so happy for you! You've been looking for it forever!' but he didn't. He just stared at her with a blank expression, "you know, it brings out my eyes." She batted her eyelashes in emphasis.

"But, your eyes are brown."

"Edmund they're not **brown**. They are deep and soulful and the blue makes them look bright and beautiful. And don't you forget it." He rolled his eyes as she hugged her new found treasure to her body.

"Yes dear." His tone was bored and sarcastic which only made her angry.

"You know, Ed, you could be a little more amenable as I am your guest." She shot him a dirty look as she stood up

"You're not my guest. I would never invite you to stay. You're more annoying than Peter when he gets back from a raid."

"Well, then why do you decide to force me to keep you company?"

"I don't force you! You're the one who can't stand Lucy's parties and forces _me_ to keep _you_ company."

"I am offended. Lucy is my best friend, and to suggest that I don't enjoy my time with her is awful. I simply feel sorry for you for not having any friends!" she threw her top back at him, "Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to have fun with my _friends_!" she stormed out of the room, leaving her pile of riding clothes on the floor, no caring that Edmund knew full well how much she despised all the other Princesses at Lucy's party.

Edmund, awe-struck, stared after her, until he was sure she was gone, he burst into laughter. Still laughing as he pushed all her old clothes to the back of his wardrobe.

It wasn't a secret that Cecilia wasn't his favorite person in the world (she wouldn't even be on his top thirty list) and it was even less of a secret that he wasn't her favorite person either. However, they each found each other's company extremely entertaining and they also loved the fact that the fights they got into annoyed everyone else in the castle.

* * *

A week after the celebration, Cecilia and Corin had stuck around after all the other annoying (in Cecilia's opinion) Princesses had left and the four youngest royals found themselves lazing around the water's edge in the sunshine after Lucy had deemed it their 'Day in the Sun' Day with a look so pure and happy on her face, that it sent everyone into rounds of laughter over their breakfast toast.

"Mmmm... this is nice." Cecilia moaned softly. She was lying in the tall grass next to Edmund, letting her skin soak up the sun, he was just trying to sleep and she kept talking. Corin and Lucy's squeals and laughter could be heard in the background as they chased each other around, "they never stop do they?"

Edmund made a muffled noise. He was trying to hold his tongue, but she was seriously getting on his nerves.

"It's all that young energy you know. They could chase each other for days."

Ed rolled his eyes, "What about all that energy you had this morning?" he finally asked,

"It's on reserve right now." she laughed a little, but stopped when he didn't join in.

There had almost been nine minutes of blissful silence when Cecilia started talking again,

"It's awfully hot though. I mean I know it's the summer and all that, but my lady's maid didn't pack me very light dresses... or I suppose I'm supposed to call them gowns now. DId you know that my father is--"

"You know what Cecilia, I don't really care. Now I'm trying to nap here and you can't shut up, can you?" Edmund snapped, "And if you're so hot then just go in the water!"

"Just because you're a year older, doesn't make you the boss of me!" She shot back, "I'm not _your_ sister. Thank Aslan."

"No, but I am your king. And I order you to go swimming if that means that you'll shut up."

"But my dress is too heavy Edmund. You weren't listening were you, you see--" Cecilia stopped talking though, because she realized that once again, he wasn't listening as he lay back down and covered his eyes with his hands in an attempt to block the sun enough to go to sleep.

She was pouting and humph-ing when a thought struck her.

"You know what Edmund, you are right. I think I will go for a dip." she stood and he made a pleasant "mmm" noise. Rolling her eyes, she began un-buttoning her thick dress-_gown_. It wasn't that bad. Because she was wearing a thinner slip dress underneath it that would be perfect to swim in, so she wasn't doing anything bad really. She pulled the bow at the back to loosen the sash and the gown began to droop and gape. She stepped out of it and in a sudden inspiration she tossed in onto Edmund. _That _would show him to be rude to her.

Edmund felt something thick and heavy land on his stomach and for a moment he had no idea what to do/ what it was. He opened his eyes and sat up slightly to investigate. What ever it was it was the exact same blue of Cecilia's dress (gown). Fingering the material, he found that the there was a mixture of velvet and silk. He heard a splash coming from the water and looked up at it and there was Cecilia soaked head-to-toe and definitely _not_ wearing her dress (gown) that she was a moment ago. In fact from far away it looked like she was wearing nothing at all. Edmund's cheeks instantly flushed at the thought of that, but he quickly snapped out of it and realized that it was up to him to stop her from splashing around in the water in a much too thin and revealing cream coloured slip.

He got up, luging her fifteen pound dress with him to the waterside. Lucy and Corin had run into the forest somewhere, which he was secretly glad for so that he wouldn't have to explain anything to them.

"Listen," he began, turning his head to look at the other direction, while his arm stretched out to her, trying to hand her her dress (gown) back. "I think that you should put your dress back on." Cecilia laughed,

"Jeeze Edmund, it's not like I'm not wearing _anything._ I'm doing just what you told me to, except that gown was much to heavy, as you can probably tell, for the water, so I improvised."

"Uh, yeah. How exactly do you walk around in these things?" He turned back to her, forgetting momentarily to not stare at her, giving her the opportune moment to splash him in the face. "HEY!"

"Oh, come _on_ Ed, it's not like anyone is around. Loosen up will you?" she ducked under the water once again and swam away from the edge, "I bet you can't catch me!" Her evil smirk twisted onto her delicate features once again and he looked at the dress (gown) in his hand. That's when she knew she had him. He shook his head slightly before he pulled his tunic off and jumped into the water.

Laughing and clapping, Cecilia tried to swim away, while kicking waves into his face to deter him, but he was much too strong for her.

He quickly made up their distance and she screamed-giggled when he yanked her foot, sending her whole body towards him and he laughed when she splashed wave-after-wave of salt water at his face. After a few minutes of the combination of kicking, screaming, laughing and splashing, he had finally grabbed her, his arms around her waist and her hands pressed up against his chest.

"Caught you." he said with a laugh. They were both so still and the waves around were still erratic around them.

What happened next, neither was quite sure. But somehow the motion of the waves pushed both of them forward and their lips met in their first kiss. It was soft and tender and Edmund really didn't want it to end. However, with one strong shove he fell backwards under the water, giving Cecilia just enough time to escape. When he resurfaced he could hear her laughter as she swam back to the water's edge. He smiled in a nostalgic way and followed her back. They were just coming out of the water when Corin suddenly ran from out of no where to them in shock.

"What were you doing?" He yelled,

"Just swimming," Edmund shrugged as he pulled his tunic back on

"I'm telling!" and before either of them could catch him, Corin raced back to Cair Paravel. Right to Susan.

"I'm sure it will be nothing." Edmund assured Cecilia as he tied the bow on the back of her dress for her. "He's over reacting."

"What've you two been doing?" Lucy asked as she walked over with a bouquet of picked flowers in her hand,

"having too much fun apparently." Susan's harsh voice cut through the summer air like a knife, making both Cecilia and Edmund's hearts drop to their stomachs.

Sue grabbed Cecilia's arm (too strongly) and began to pull her back to the castle muttering something about how she needed to start 'acting like a lady, young lady'. Cecilia managed to turn herself back to Edmund as she was being dragged and mimed gagging on her finger. With a smile and a wave, she turned back to follow Susan, nodding intently so that it would seem like she was listening.

Cecilia's smile somehow made Edmund laugh and as he stood by the water with Lucy (who was giving him a very strange look), he began to feel his heart start rising back up.

* * *

_"somewhere along the road,  
he lost his soul to a woman so heartless  
how could you be so heartless?"_

_Heartless- The Fray (a Kanye West cover)_

**So this is a little backstory to the story I suppose, I think that I may actually put a few flashbacks in it as it goes on.**

**Anyways... please READ & REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2: Can't Take It In

**THANK YOU SO MUCH to all those who reviewed/ alerted/ favorite-d/ read it. Seriously that was awesome to see that you guys liked it...**

**So this is four years later... it jumps around (time wise) but it's all pretty much the same 24 hours just from diferent perspectives.**

_Can't Take it In_

* * *

The thought of her being in the next room made his whole body awake. Her and her brother with their party arrived a few hours ago, very early into the morning. Peter and Susan decided to stay up for it, allowing him and Lucy to get some sleep. Of course he didn't get any sleep. How could he when he knew she was in the next room? He heard them arrive. It was a little after midnight when there was a loud bustle of people in the hallways. He heard her voice too, as muffled as it was through the wall, he knew it was hers and then he really couldn't sleep; it made it seem so much more real. Not having seen each other in a year, he was slightly worried about her being different. She was technically an adult now. She had turned 20 in April, but there was an uprising in the north that kept the families from getting together and celebrating it. She could be a complete different person by now. She could be betrothed. However much he doubted that, it was still a possibility. But when he heard it, he knew that she was the same. Still wild and free, not betrothed and not responsible for anything or one but herself. All it was was her laugh.

Her laughter still rang in his ears. It was hours later and she was long asleep in the next room, but every time he closed his eyes all he heard was her bell-like laugh. He remembered when he hated it. It was the most annoying noise he'd ever heard; too high and it lasted too long. He remembered when he hated her. She was always too loud and loved being the centre of attention; she hated him too, probably still does. And really, he hated her still, hated her for taking up all his time. When he was asleep, he dreamt of her, when he was awake, he thought of her. The worst was that when he was in her presence, he was very aware of everything he did. He hated it. He hated not being in control. He hated her.

No, that was a lie. He didn't hate her; far from it.

Things were different now; they were friends. Last time she had visited, they had a lot of fun together. But they were both adults, he was a King and she was a Princess soon to inherit her father's kingdom. They were grown up now.

It was easy to hate her when she was an awkward, young teen. But to be frank, he had no idea that she'd grow into her beautiful, fragile looks. Her frizzy, chestnut hair turned into sleek, long curls, her porcelain skin glowed with youth and her big brown eyes became deeper, wiser with age framed by long eyelashes.

It was because of her that he hated Lucy's birthday. Whenever that bright June day came around he knew that meant that she'd be there. Of course she would be there, she was Lucy's best friend. She was two years older than Lucy, but somehow they were best friends, she was always invited. Susan would send away for her from Archenland and recently, for her brother too and they would trek through the mountains and show up a few days before to help set up.

Tomorrow was the day. The day his baby sister turned the big 1-8 and as he stared at his desk at her present, all Edmund could feel was fear. Fear for another day to make a fool of himself in front of Cee, and being forced to face the reality of the situation.

With a heavy sigh, Edmund turned over to his side, fluffing his pillow lightly and let sleep fall over him.

* * *

A loud snore emanated from her little brother, who she was currently using as a pillow, but that wasn't what had woken her up. She was shook awake not from they're chaperone (who was not needed, as she was technically an adult and didn't require a babysitter, thank you very much) Lord Darrin, but from their carriage actually shaking; well from the absence of shaking. You see, she was so used to the rocky terrain of Archenland that once they hit smooth land, she knew that they must be close to Narnia.

Butterflies erupted from her stomach every time she thought about it. Her father had told her that Peter and Susan would wait up for them to greet them, but she really didn't care about that. In fact she was slightly disappointed that Edmund and Lucy weren't going to be there. That's all she wanted; her best friends. Besides, she wasn't that big of a fan of Susan's and vice versa. However what was mostly on Cecilia's mind was talking to Edmund. She desperately needed to talk to him about something and his was the only advice she trusted. She could just see him now, finally telling him her giant problem and him laughing at her for a moment and then telling her the exact thing she already knew.

Cecilia smiled at the thought, but promptly put a sleeping look back on her face. She didn't want anyone to know that she was awake in hopes of scraping a few more minutes of sleep.

Corin moved in his sleep and Cecilia was once again reminded how scrawny he was. Seriously he was the worst pillow ever. She made a mental note to stuff him with food for the ride back.

"Your Majesties." Cecilia sighed angrily. Lord Darrin had the most annoying voice in the history of ever. "Princess Cecelia, Young Prince Corin we will be arriving soon." Opening her eyes, she saw Darrin looming over them and quickly realized that she and Corin where lying on the floor between seats. She sat up and yawned,

"What time is it?" she asked as she straightened her dress.

"Just past midnight." She nodded, yawning slightly. Turning around, she saw Corin still lying peacefully, sleeping. He looked so cute; it was times like these that she really loved having a younger brother.

"Wake up twerp." She yanked his ear,

"OW!" he sat up with a start and tried to pinch her in retaliation. Soon they started smacking each other, shouting annoyances.

"Off! Get off of each other!" Darrin grabbed Corin and plopped him down on the seat. Cecilia humphed, sitting Calormen style on the floor, "You two will be the death of us all! Now, Princess, you think that you are old enough to take care of yourself, but you two have been up for only a minute and you're fighting already!"

They rolled their eyes at each other, silently agreeing that Darrin was so lame, and muttered quiet apologies.

"Now, stay at opposite sides of the carriage and get yourselves ready. You look like hooligans." Cecelia sighed again and began to comb through her long wavy hair, pinning the front locks back on either side.

* * *

"Peter. It's late." Susan sighed grumpily. They were sitting on their respective thrones waiting up for the Archenland party.

"Oh shut up." Peter told her lazily. Lucy and Edmund had retired to their rooms an hour ago, both angry about not being able to wait with them; now he would do anything to trade places with them; Susan got really annoying when she was tired.

"Do you know what she did four summers ago?"

"Yes, I do. But it was _four_ summers ago; she was a child." Peter replied bored as he rubbed his eyes.

"You know that Lucy absolutely adores her and she has a weird affect on you too. I mean Edmund agrees that she's a bad influence! He hates it when she visits." Susan was using all the same arguments she usually did.

"Oh, Sue, no he doesn't. They didn't get along like three years ago, but they're good friends now."

"Well. They don't act like it. Always bickering and fighting; they're like an old married couple. I swear—" Peter didn't get a chance to hear her as the trumpets of the party approaching sounded. The two hopped up from their seats and fixed their circlets as they made their way out to the courtyard.

"Sue, she's an adult now." Peter reminded her quietly. Mr. Tumnus joining them excitedly.

"Oh isn't it just lovely that they've finally arrived!" he smiled naively as Susan rolled her eyes.

"She doesn't act like one." She muttered under her breath

The horse's footsteps echoed through the sleeping country as they emerged from the woods. A cloud of dust followed them as the horses were traveling so fast that the Narnian royals had to take a few steps back, giving them room to slow down and come to a complete stop.

The carriage door flung open and Corin streaked out with Cecilia not far behind,  
"GET BACK HERE YOU TOAD!" she yelled after him, chasing him around the royals "GIVE ME BACK MY CROWN!" he stopped behind Peter and Susan (who were laughing and enraged respectively) and she stopped in front of them,

"Mive me mack my mrown. Wah wah!" Corin mimicked, miming crying

"You little!" he took off again and just as he passed, Peter stuck out an arm and effectively grabbed Corin by the collar and yanked him back. "Thank you Peter." Cecilia smiled widely at the oldest Pevensie and placed her gold circlet back on her head, sticking her tongue out at her little brother, who returned the gesture.

Susan turned to Peter and gave him a look that said "I told you so".

* * *

"Sunrise, Sunshine!" The curtains were streaked opened while sunshine filled the room, he closed his eyes tighter, hoping that if he ignored her, she'd just go away and so would his erratic heartbeat. "Come on Ed! It's your sister's big day!" A blurred version of her perfect face came into view as his eyes opened, a groan escaped his lips and he turned his head from her. "Get up Silly!" Cee hopped up to Ed's bed and rolled him over. Her touch was like an electric shock. He sat bolt up as soon as he felt her warm hands on his side. "There we go!"

"Who let you in?" He asked dryly. Of course in truth he could care less who let her in, actually, who ever it was should be promoted. He rolled his eyes at that thought and laid his head back down onto the pillow.

"Myself." She shrugged. She looked tired, but other than that the same. "It's early and I think everyone's still asleep but I was bored." She bounced back onto her haunches and cocked her head to the side, studying him. Her gaze made him feel uneasy

"What?" he finally gave in

"You look old and tired, too excited to sleep last night?" She raised an eyebrow and giggled, plunking herself down next to him, laying her head on the pillow next to his.

"Yeah, well its called running a kingdom. You should try it sometime." Edmund replied gruffly

"Thank Aslan, I'll never have to deal with that. Besides, Peter doesn't look nearly as aged as you do. In fact, he looks younger. It's amazing how good someone looks once they shave off their beard, don't you agree?" He sighed, of course he agreed. He had told Peter to get rid of that thing ages ago. Edmund sat still for a moment while he mulled over her other words,

"What are you talking about? You're first in line for your father's throne, you're going to be grey-haired and crazy from all the responsibilities." Cecilia giggled

"Apparently not. Not that I care. I'd rather dad be king, but if anything happens, the crown's Corin's. Now that he's old enough. Besides, like I'll ever have grey hair." Cecilia, averting his eyes, stared up at the ceiling. His eyebrows knit together in confusion, Corin, King? Doubtful. She let out a sigh and turned to Edmund when he asked,

"What about you? What are you supposed to do?"

"'Cecilia, you need to start acting like a lady, because you're job is take a suitor and marry a king'" she put on a deep voice in attempt to mimic her father. Edmund chuckled, running his fingers through his hair he smiled over to her and a burst of butterflies erupted from his stomach when he caught her twinkling eyes,

"Yeah… like that will happen." She giggled at that,

"I know! Right?" she turned on her side, "Well, they can try anything but I don't think I'll be any good at home making… I can always give it a shot though. I remember a couple times helping Amelia bake a pie and it-it tasted all right, so you never know." her voice trailed off at the end and she looked down at the bedspread. Edmund's heart dipped, he knew in his heart of hearts that Cecilia would do her best to please her father and his court,

"Queens don't really do that though… they have a bunch of servants and what not." He said softly,

"Well… maybe I could have a lot of lovers or something…" Edmund smirked at the thought of her father hearing that, "Or after I pop out some heirs I could stow away on a military ship and travel or… " her eyes lit up with an idea and he laughed a bit, "you could meet me somewhere of the beaten track like… like… the Lone Islands of something or another, and we could travel together… see the world." She raised her eyebrows

"Now, is this after or before all of your various lovers, because they cant come with us you know."

"Oh, well it will be after of course, after the children and what not…" she was looking quite hopeful,

"We could fake your death and then no one would come looking for you?"

"Genius!" she punched him lightly, "you've done this before."

They both fell silent,

"You know, Susan would love this idea." He turned to get off the bed, "I'll just go and tell her."

"Oh! No!" She laughed as she grabbed his collar and pulled back and they collapsed back into a fit of giggles.

"Edmund! I think you'd better get up now, our guests wi—" Susan stopped abruptly after swinging open the door when she set her eyes on her adult younger brother and his adult friend, who happened to be a woman practically on top of each other laughing on his bed.

"Honestly Edmund Pevensie, you are the king of a country. What do you think that your country would think of their twenty-one year old ruler lying in bed with a woman in the early morning."

"Right Sue." Ed sat up and Cecilia followed.

"Well, you'd better get yourself ready." Susan turned on her heel and promptly closed the door behind her. Mumbling something under her breath about that damn 'scarlet woman'

"Scarlet woman?" Cee turned to Ed, "Is she kidding herself? She's got like fifty suitors here everyday!"

"Oh, she doesn't mean it. You know Sue loves you." Cecilia scoffed as she rolled off the bed and over to his desk,

"Can you believe that Lucy is eighteen already?" she asked poking at the present sitting on Edmund's desk

"Yeah. It's kind of surreal." He stretched a bit, "But only because it means I'm getting older."

"Well, if you're getting older that means I'm getting older... and that's an impossibility." they both chuckled over the statement and Cecilia was just about to ask him what he got Lucy when,

"Do you hear that?" Edmund asked getting up from his seat,

"No, what?" they both paused and there was a soft murmuring which got louder and louder,

"It's my birthday! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!" they both broke out into hysterics when they realized that it was Lucy running through the halls.

"Well, let's go greet the birthday girl." Cecilia smiled over to Edmund and his heart fluttered, He was kind of hoping that they could stay in his room for a while and just talk but obviously the importance of the day overshadowed the fact that they hadn't seen each other in a year and there was much to catch up on. "Ed?"

"Wha..? Uh, yeah okay, I'll meet you down there." He went over to his wardrobe to get dressed and Cecilia went to his door to go back to her own room to change,

"Listen, can you remind me later that I have something major to talk to you about." Her voice was serious and her eyes were sincere and Edmund knew that it wasn't something to debate even though he was really confused,

"Uh, yeah sure. We'll talk later definitely. Is it anything really serious?" Edmund was concerned but felt a bit better when she shook her head with a small smile.

"Not really. I just need your advice on something." She nodded once more before leaving a very thoughtful Edmund to consider what had just happened.

* * *

_Can't close my eyes/  
They're wide awake/  
Oh empty my heart/  
I've got to make room for this feeling/  
so much bigger than me_

_Can't Take it In-- Imogen Heap_

**Kay so this isn't my fav... but it gets better I swear.**

**Please READ & REVIEW!**

**THANKS!**


	3. Chapter 3: We Are Looking For A Lot

**Disclaimer: I barely own my OC's (they own themselves... haha) sooo... yeah I definitely don't own the Chronicles of Narnia**

**This is a revised version of chapter 3. Definitely read this as (although I did not mean it to happen) I ended up changing a good chunk of it. **

_We're Looking for a lot of Love_

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* * *

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Ed pondered Cecilia's words as he began to dress for the day, what could she need to talk to him about?

Hope seemed to burst through his body as his critical mind began evaluating all alternatives, though he crushed it quickly. Cecilia was known for her obliviousness; and he would barely say that his attraction to her was very obvious. _Yet_.

Stifling a yawn (he seemed to be hit with a wave of exhaustion that Cee's bright disposition had temporarily eclipsed), he buttoned up his tunic as he walked over to the windows, which lead to the balcony that jutted out from his bedroom. Pulling the drapes back slightly, he saw that the sun had barely peeked its rays over the horizon and groaned at the earliness of his wake up call. He turned back to his bed almost wickedly. He knew that Lucy wouldn't mind if he was a little late for her Birthday Breakfast; she was selfless like that, and surely his present would definitely make up for it if she were angry. Really it was Susan that he had to look out for, she was the one who still treated him like a child when she scolded him, but what was one more time?

His bed just looked so delightfully inviting, still unmade from just moments ago, the pillows looked extra fluffy and the sheets were already pulled back. He crawled into it, buried his head into the pillow that only moments ago supported Cecilia's head and did not regret his decision. Overcome by her essence, he found falling asleep much easier than the night before.

* * *

Cecilia inspected herself in the long mirror that covered a slim portion of her wall.

She smoothed out her long skirts and adjusted the thick band that once again found itself around her gut. The nice young faun who had just helped her into the gown had disappeared, after tying the sash into a large and jolly bow at her back (much too tightly in Cee's opinion) to help with some of the meal arrangements.

The gown was beautiful; a gift from her father, a lovely pale coral colour: perfect for summer. She laughed, rather childishly, at the thought of how easy it would be to swim in it's lightweight material. With it's tight bodice that dipped down low at the front, capped sleeves and fabric of silk, it was a gown that an older queen, who was much more well endowed than Cecilia, should be wearing. She tried her best to hike the bodice up over her pale skin, though it just ended up pushing her chest further up; although, she reasoned, it did make her look more alluring.

Cecilia almost laughed out loud with that thought … who was she turning into? Contrast to what Susan surely thought; Cecilia was definitely not comfortable in a dress so tight that accentuated all her 'womanly curves'.

Knowing that there was nothing else that she could do to this gown to make her feel a bit more comfortable in it, she twisted her long hair onto one shoulder and did the one thing that she truly loved about this gown; she twirled and the flowing skirts flew out around her, enveloping her in a circle of silk. She smiled happily with herself, hoping, in a fleeting moment, that Edmund had been brushing up on his dance skills because he was the only one who spun her over and over again without her having to ask.

She slipped on her matching silk flats and grabbed her circlet in her long fingers, opting not to put it on, and made her way out of her room.

Cecilia stood in front of Ed's door. She wondered whether or not he would still be in there, as it had taken a long time for her to get dressed, surely he was already downstairs?

Though, she cocked her head as a smile twisted itself onto her lips, he could have gone back to sleep, which, frankly, she did not put past him for a second. She knocked lightly, in case he was still getting ready, and when no answer was heard, she leaned into the door as she spun the doorknob, peeking into the large and grand room noticing that there was no one standing at the wardrobe or the mirror and as her eyes swept over the rest of the room, she noticed a large lump in the bed.

A light laugh escaped her lips as she crept quietly into the room, not unlike she had done an hour before,

"Edmund," she whispered as she made her way across the floor to the empty side of his bed. He stirred and turned over to her, his eyes flickered lightly before opening them slightly and then closing them again. Cecilia knew almost right away that he wasn't opening them because he was awake, but because he was in that world when you're caught between sleeping and waking. She considered shaking him, yelling at him, hitting him; anything to get him up and as she opened her mouth to do so, he stretched out a dreaming arm and mumbled, "shhhh 'elia" her name muffled by the pillow that his head had sunk to the middle of. She giggled again and she reached out and brushed a dark curl that had fallen onto his forehead. His arm reached up, grabbed her thin wrist and pulled it to his shoulder, snuggling it softly. Cecilia raised her eyebrow, confused as her half-unconscious friend patted the empty spot next to him and gave her arm another tug. She looked up to the window to see the sun was just beginning to rise; it couldn't hurt to catch up on some much needed sleep.

She kicked off her flats, tossed her circlet onto an armchair and crawled softly, as not to disturb him, onto the space next to him, moving her hand off his shoulder as she lay on her side, inspecting Edmund closely. His face was charming and cheeky even in his sleep, his strong jaw gave him the Kingly edge he always said that he didn't have and beneath his fluttering eyelids were those deep, ocean blue eyes that she loved so much. Why had she never noticed before how perfectly attractive he was? She had always referred to Edmund's looks as cute, because he was a friend and with Cecilia's one-track mind she never considered him more than that. But looking at him now, she wondered why not; he had gorgeously curly hair a few shades darker than her own that she had the sudden urge to run her hands through and his always sun-kissed skin was lightly dusted with freckles.

Cecilia supposed that it was because they had been enemies for so long that she found it hard to imagine Edmund as anything more than her goofy friend who got on her last nerve and never skipped a chance to make her angry.

She rolled away from him, lying on her back and staring up at the ceiling, her mind drifting back to Lucy's birthday four years ago when she, Cecilia, had kissed Edmund spontaneously in the lake. Her reasoning, the day of, was only that of her raging teenage hormones (which were something that her lady's maid, Heather, had explained to her when she was twelve and harboured a very strong desire to kiss the cute son of the farmer who lived down the lane) taking control of her momentarily sidetracked brain. However, looking back, she had often wondered what it would be like to kiss Edmund; though at the time, they were still not quite over their childish hatred of each other, but she still couldn't deny that he did have nice lips. She was really just curious. She had only kissed one other boy before and that was said farmer's son from down the lane, who, afterwards, shouted "EW" and ran away. Cecilia supposed that in actuality, she had just wanted to test it out again.

Had it been good though? She had kissed many men since then (well, not _many_) but never before had she been overcome with the sudden urge to know if she was a good kisser. Her skill at that particular task had never seemed so necessary until today, when, she was supposed to begin her search for a proper suitor. Surely success with this skill would be instrumental in procuring a husband that would please her father's council.

She turned back to Edmund, who looked so innocent as he remained unaware of the idea that was forming in Cecilia's head.

She reached out a poised hand and pinched his nose shut. It only took a moment before he sat up, rather shockingly, gasping for air while simultaneously pushing her hand away from his face.

"Oh good, you're up!" She smiled pleasantly at him.

"Right, thanks for nearly killing me." He rubbed the tired from his eyes and squinted over to her, "Did they send you to find me?"

"Nah. I haven't even gone to breakfast yet. You actually haven't even been asleep for very long." She fiddled absentmindedly with a strand of her hair.

"Then why did you choose to so _rudely_ interrupt my beauty sleep… for the second time in one day!" He wasn't really angry, just pretending.

"Well, I was just wondering whether or not I'm a good kisser." Cecilia had never been known for being subtle. And she grinned slyly as she saw the momentary shock flit across Edmund's features as her true meaning dawned on him.

"Uh – well. You weren't terrible." Edmund finally managed, though Cecilia was not necessarily happy with this explanation.

"Edmund. I have to find a husband, how am I supposed to do that if my kissing 'isn't terrible'?" she sat up and stared at him as if the answer was obvious.

"I don't really know what to tell you Cee. It was four years ago and it was real quick. So…" Edmund sat up to, moving to get off of the bed.

"That's why this is perfect. Just let me kiss you and then you can tell me what you think!" the casual edge of her voice made it almost as if she said 'Oh Edmund, will you escort me to dinner?'

There was a silence as Edmund considered this, while Cecilia looked at him innocently enough. He took a deep breath and then,

"Fine."

"Oh, Edmund! Thank you! You're the best, you know that right?" She hopped up onto her knees, bouncing slightly on the bed.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with." His harsh tone made him sound as though he was not going to enjoy this… Cecilia certainly hoped that he would.

"Here, I'll get up." Cecilia hopped off the bed to where Edmund stood and stepped right up him, her nose inches away from his jaw line. She looked up at him, and lifted herself up on her toes so that they were on a more eye-to-eye level.

She couldn't exactly place the look that she saw in Edmund's deep blue eyes, but she didn't focus on that, she focused on the little reflection of herself that she saw in his pupils.

Placing a hand delicately at the back of Edmund's neck and placing his hands on her waist, she smirked: "See, just like last time." Edmund rolled his eyes at her.

"All right, do your worst." Edmund murmured.

"Let's hope not." Cecilia whispered back. She wasn't sure as to when they had started speaking in low voices, but she knew that it was due to their close proximity. Using her leverage on Edmund's neck, and closing her eyes softly, she pushed their lips together.

* * *

"Finally!" Lucy practically shrieked as the doors opened to reveal Cecilia and Edmund, looking pink-cheeked and stoney respectively. She made to get out of her chair to greet the late comers but Susan's tone stopped her from doing so.

"So nice of you to finally join us."

Cecilia looked rather sheepish as she sat down at the table, but smiled brightly to Lucy and instantly sparked a conversation between the two. As they chattered through breakfast, their topics ranging from their plans for the day to the hunky new stable boy, Edmund, rather angrily, stabbed at his eggs.

"Alright there Ed? Peter asked, pausing from a conversation with Corin about his latest raid,

"Hm?" It took a moment for Edmund to grasp the notion of the question, but once he did, he shrugged, "Just tired." He explained lamely.

The breakfast continued on rather uneventful for Edmund, who remained silent while he ate. As usual, Cecilia's happy disposition illuminated all things around her leaving her completely oblivious to Edmund's sour mood.

Near the end of breakfast, Edmund's ideas to quietly escape back to his room were quickly thwarted as Susan began to delve into plans for that night's party and the tournament that would take place in the following days.

"Well, yes, every country will be accounted for - it's a shame that your father could not make it - but the islands and Calormen will be represented ..."

"Does that mean that Prince Rabadash will be coming?" Cecilia ventured out sounding nonchalant. But Edmund knew better, his head snapped up, waiting for Susan's response. The latter, whose cheeks had turned a light shade of red with the mention of the Prince, who, though he had never come to Narnia before, Susan had a known fancy for.

"Mmm." Susan paused and tried her best to collect her thoughts, she looked down at the party list she had taken out after finishing eating, before answering, "Yes, I believe he is slated to arrive today just before our - er - Lucy's party."

Cecilia nodded to herself and turned back to her plate, Corin, for a moment, looked as though he wanted to pipe up about something, though he winced and immediately closed his mouth. With a glance to Cecilia, Edmund knew that she had kicked her younger brother under the table in order to shut him up.

"Have you met him before?" Lucy asked Cecilia, who shook her head, "We've only met in passing. Peter and I went to Calormen a few years ago to speak to his father about a peace treaty. He seemed nice."

"Lucy, you know that you can never trust a monarch until you get to know their true intentions." Peter warned, "Yes, he seemed nice, but that is no guarantee. That's in part why we invited him, to get to know him on a more personal level, he's soon to take over his father's throne, and we need to get a handle on what kind of a ruler he will be."

"Always the politician, Peter." Cecilia smirked, "But what's the other part of why you decided to invite him?"

"Well, he's a skilled swordsman, so he'll be invited to stay for the tournament, maybe try his luck with Ed or me. And, well, Susan's been looking for a suitor, so ..." Peter trailed off and Susan, for the first time in a long time, was speechless for Cecilia's eyebrows had arched up in surprise as she had turned to Susan.

"Peter, I hardly think that this is breakfast conversation." Susan began,

"I completely agree!" Edmund said abruptly, "On that note, I think it's safe to say that breakfast is over." He pushed back in his chair with a screech and stalked off, slamming the door as he left. Cecilia's shocked expression turned to Edmund's retreating back, having just noticed his attitude.

There was a pause in which the noise of Edmund's departure still rang in everyone's ears.

"Poor guy, still doesn't like mornings." Corin commented.

* * *

_This town's been raining for too long/_  
For me to find my way to you/  
You see me everywhere /  
I see you in my boots /

_We're Looking for a lot of Love -- Hot Chip_

**K, so I got rid of Ed's fiancee...for something that I thought of last minute, it was really throwing off the rest of the story line. So yeah. I ditched her... he would have too, eventually. **

**Also, in case you haven't noticed, I tend not to update much. Well, school's over so I have nothing to do this summer and you can probably expect more from me in the next few months...**

**REVIEWS REALLY MOTIVATE ME  
:) :) :) :) **


	4. Chapter 4: Hero

**I just want to say that I really appreciate all the reviews that I get for this story. I'm not going to lie (and I think it's very obvious); I don't write that often, but when I get that little email saying I got a review, it truly does motivate me.**

**So thanks again!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing familiar. **

_Hero_

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"All right, do your worst." Edmund murmured.

"Let's hope not." Cecilia whispered back. She wasn't sure as to when they had started speaking in low voices, but she knew that it was due to their close proximity. Using her leverage on Edmund's neck, and closing her eyes softly, she pushed their lips together.

Her lips were soft and when they parted and Edmund - perhaps too vigorously - took that as an invitation for his tongue to delve inside, he felt what was surely bliss. His rough hands cupped her cheek and traced her jawline, while her fingers were winding their way up the back of his neck to grip at his hair. After what could have been hours, but was probably less than a minute later, they pulled apart. She hummed slightly to herself, her eyes still closed.

"Not too bad Pevensie." She said, her eyes opening, but she quickly diverted them to her toes.

"I could say the same, Cee." His hand was still by her jaw and they stood together peacefully in silence for a moment.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Cecilia asked softly. She was fumbling with a curl hanging around her shoulders and her eyes still refused to meet his. From his height and their closeness, he could see just how long her eyelashes were and could count how many freckles were dusted across her small nose. His heart began to beat faster,

"Of course, you can tell me anything." His hand dropped down to skim his fingers across the smooth skin on her arm. She smiled and her eyes flicked upwards,

"Lucy wasn't the only reason I came to Narnia." She had left the piece of hair forgotten on her shoulder and was leaning her body into his.

"Yeah?" Edmund was trying his best to keep his voice from sounding as hopeful as it sounded in his head. He thought that he knew where this was going.

"My daddy wants me to get married." She blushed and Edmund knew that this was leading to the information that she really wasn't supposed to be divulging.

"Yeah. So you want to practice more things for when you're married?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively which made her giggle and push his chest back slightly. This reminded him, somewhere in the back of his mind of a time in which Peter was explaining Susan's actions over a Lord of one of the Isles. It seemed as though Cecilia was _flirting_ with him. And, as it seemed, he was flirting back.

"No. I'm here to woo someone." There was a pregnant pause, before Edmund sputtered out in laughter. She stepped back and placed her hands soundly on her hips trying her best Susan impersonation, but this only made Edmund laugh harder and eventually Cecilia joined in. The idea of his best friend - the absent minded, flighty and spirited brunette - wooing or seducing anyone without having to shove her foot in her mouth or tripping over her skirts seemed more unlikely then her in a marital setting.

"So," Edmund said, straightening up and wiping a tear from his eye, "you're here to woo me are you? You want me to become Mr. Cecilia Lune? Well, I'm honoured Cee, but ..." He didn't mean it to be all a joke; in fact a very large part of him was hoping she would tell him that he guessed correctly, though from the fact that she was now laughing harder than she had been a moment ago.

"No! No, no! Of course not. We hate each other." She grinned, but saw that his face was suddenly stony.

"I don't hate you." He told her his brow furrowed; she hated him? Since when? They had had a touch and go relationship at the beginning, but he was just a young prick; he thought that of anyone outside of his siblings, she would be able to appreciate how much he had changed over the years. She blushed.

"Oh well - I mean, it's not that. I didn't mean - obviously I don't _hate _you." She grabbed his hand, "I love you, but you're a friend, right? I mean us being married wouldn't work, ya know? It would be explosive; we would fight. A lot."

"Explosive is good. It keeps things interesting." He reasoned, keeping his voice light.

"Ed, what do you know about Prince Rabadash?"

"Prince Rabadash, of Calormen? Just that he's very taken with Susan, but I've only really ever met him once." He shrugged, it was the truth, he had never gone with his siblings to Calormen because he had always been too busy at Cair Paravel, also because he despised the desert, and tried his best to stay away from heat as best as possible, but he once came across the Prince (who was at least ten years Edmund's senior) while at a conference in one of the Isles. "I think that he's coming tonight, why?"

"Because, I'm going to marry him." He stared at her in shock, trying to figure out if he had just imagined her saying that.

"I'm sorry, Prince Rabadash? Have you ever even met him?"

"Well, no. That's why I came though, because I knew that he would be here. My father's assembly thinks that it's a very smart match." her voice told Edmund that she didn't seem to care about whether a dozen old men thought that she and Rabadash were going to make a good couple.

"Oh, you're father's assembly? What about you? You've never met him; I have and he doesn't seem like a good marriage candidate to me."

"Well, then lucky you're not marrying him." She smiled slightly and turned back from him, making her way to the other side of the room to pick her circlet up off Edmund's armchair.

"Cecilia, you can't let them force you into marrying a stranger ... who lives in the desert ... and has a moustache!"

"No one is forcing me. I've decided this by myself with no pressure from any second party." Edmund stared at her hopelessly while she fidgeted with her dress unknowingly, "Now, I think that we are beyond late for breakfast. Are you coming?" She made her way to the door and looked back at him questioningly.

"Uh, you go. I have to finish getting ready." He rubbed the back of his head absentmindedly and she raised her eyebrows at him, "don't worry, I'm not going back to sleep. Trust me, I don't think that I'll be able to sleep for a very long while." He muttered the last part under his breath as she left with a fleeting grin.

When the door latched closed, Edmund kicked the leg of his wardrobe out of anger, and almost immediately regretted it as he winced in pain.

How could one woman be so utterly clueless? How can she just twirl into his life, flirt with him, lie in bed with him, _kiss_ him and then declare that she was there to woo another man. He had thought that the idea of her wooing anyone was so hilarious only moments ago, though he seemed to overlook the fact that she had already successfully wooed one person - him.

He hated himself, he hated her and Rabadash - and the _idea_ of her and Rabadash - but mostly, he hated King Lune's assembly, who thought that Cecilia and Rabadash were a smart match. What was wrong with Cecilia and himself? They were a pretty smart match; an equal partnership. They might fight a lot, but they're personalities always keep each other in check.

He clenched his fists and found he was fighting the urge to scream, he grabbed a pillow just incase but quickly threw it away.

It was _her_ pillow.

* * *

Edmund stared over top of his wine glass at Cecilia, who was across the room twirling Lucy around. He had been ignoring her and everyone else rather efficiently all day, though seeing as it was his youngest sister's birthday; he was forced out of the corner of the library he was hiding in by his eldest sister, into dress robes and into a new corner for him to be sullen and unsocial in; this time in the great hall for the party.

He watched as Lucy pointed someone out to Cecilia, and as Cecilia's dark eyes latched onto their target - a tall tan man in sweeping robes of crimson and gold who was talking to Susan. The latter was twirling a strand of her dark hair and swaying in her sapphire gown slightly.

Edmund chuckled slightly at the absurdity of the situation; Cecilia going up against Susan, and he had to note that Cee had pulled out all the stops. Her brown hair was long and wavy but looked lighter around all the flickering candles and her pale gold gown sparkled against her skin.

Cecilia began to make her way through the crowd to Susan and Rabadash, and Edmund had seem to loose track as to where Lucy went to until she popped up right in front of him, her eyes twinkling and a loopy smile stretched across her face, much like she had appeared before him all those years ago on their coronation.

"Where've you been all night Ed? It's my birthday!"

"Oh Luce, you've had enough of these, haven't you?"

"Not nearly enough for sure." she told him with a giggle, stealing a sip from his wine glass (ignoring his mock outrage) as she joined his solitary lean again the wall. "So, Cecilia told me about her little plan." Edmund raised his eyebrows sarcastically but did not allow his nosy little sister to glean any information from his reaction.

"It is my understanding that Cecilia has many plans. Remember two years ago when she wanted me to teach her to fight so she could run away and join the army, or the other one where she was going to cross the Calormen desert in twenty days because she heard that there was a breed of magical unicorns if you go south enough?"

"Oh, that second one was when she was thirteen, and she gave up on it when she realized that humidity would ruin her curls."

"And she wants to marry the Prince of a _desert_? She never ceases to amaze me."

"Perhaps, with the increase of her maturity levels, she's come to the decision that as the Princess of the desert, her hair frizzies won't be of that much issue." Lucy said with a shrug as she and Ed peered over the heads of those that separated them from Susan, Rabadash and soon-to-be Cecilia. "She does look lovely tonight."

Edmund choose not to respond to that, he was extremely distracted with the fact that Cecilia had just reached Susan and Rabadash. They watched the fake smile appear on Cecilia's face and the strained one that Susan returned as she joined the group.

"You think it will work?" Lucy asked,

"Never, he could be her father." Well, no. He couldn't, he was ten years Edmund's senior, so he would have to be a very young father but still.

They watched as Cecilia introduced herself to Rabadash and began talking. Rabadash at once was obviously taken with her, his eyes and smile lighting up his much older face.

"Hmm, I happen to think that she never ceases to amaze anyone." Lucy smiled over to Edmund who simply rolled his eyes.

"It's not going to work, he's in love with Susan, isn't he? If it does work, wouldn't that suggest his untrustworthiness in the realms of being a good husband? Simply forgetting that he's in love with another woman and then dropping her the minute a new piece of meat is dangled in front of his face." His face remained stony as he watched Cecilia giggle and touch Rabadash's arm.

"Edmund, you're practically getting hysterical." Lucy observed with a laugh.

"Don't be silly Lucy." Edmund looked away and down at his feet.

"Ed, if _you_ have an issue with this, _you_ should do something." She gave him a look that was reminiscent of Susan.

Edmund was going to ignore her and just carry on with his sulking, but he looked over at Cecilia and, in that moment, no doubt from the candles and her colour of dress, she seemed to sparkle. She was not just some toy that her father's assembly could use and sell away the rest of her life to an older man who in know way could give her the life that she actually wanted. He slugged back the rest of his wine and handed the glass to Lucy, leaving her in stunned silence as he made his way over to Cecilia.

"Calormen sounds absolutely lovely this time of year. I would just love to see it. You know I've never been?" Cecilia voice carried over to him as he approached,

"That's not for a lack of trying." Edmund said, meaning it to be under his breath, but as the small group turned to him; he reasoned that his adrenaline and the wine that he had just drunk amplified his voice.

"Oh, Edmund. So good for you to finally surface." Susan said sharply as he joined the group.

"Yeah well it's all for Lucy, you know the deal." Edmund shrugged,

"I trust you remember my younger brother Edmund, Rabadash?" Susan beckoned for Edmund to greet Rabadash.

"Of course, Edmund, won't you join us? Celia was just telling us about the mountain ranges of Archenland." Rabadash bowed slightly at the introduction

"Oh really? _Celia? _Do tell." Edmund said with a laugh.

"It's actually _Ce_celia." Cee explained with a relaxed smile while simultaneously ignoring Susan's smirk.

"Well actually me and Cecilia were just leaving." Edmund tugged at Cee's elbow.

"Oh, no, Ed, I-" it was too late, he was pulling her away.

"Edmund Pevensie! How dare you interfere in my business!" She was hitting and pulling his arm off hers but he swung her around and spun her around. "What are you doing?"

"We're dancing." Edmund murmured as he pulled her into his arms. She fit perfectly in them; he wondered if she noticed that too.

"Why?" she asked his chest.

"This ... will help. Trust me." They swayed to the slow string music and though his mind was scrambling to come up with a reason that this would help her cause, he took it as a small victory that she had stopped fighting against his lead.

"How will this help? I'm dancing with you, not him."

"Shut up. This will make him jealous. Trust me." Obviously, he had been hoping that this sort-of romantic gesture would have made her forget about Rabadash, though it was now occurring to him that as he stared over Cecilia's head that this act was sufficient to make Rabadash jealous as his focus on Susan was withering and he continued to stare at the back of Cecilia's head.

"Is he looking over here?" she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"Oh definitely." Edmund nodded, not breaking eye contact with her to bother checking.

She giggled and pulled back so that he could spin her around and dip her.

"Oh Edmund, I'm going to miss you when I'm married. If only there was a way that I could bring you to Calormen with me."

"Already packing and you don't even have a ring on your pretty little finger."

"I like to plan ahead; you know me."

"I know you very well. Are you sure your hair will hold up in the heat?" he twirled a piece around his finger for emphasis.

"I'll be Queen of the desert; it won't matter. Perhaps I'll start to wear a turban or a shawl."

"But I like your hair; you wouldn't have to cover it if you stayed out of the humidity."

"Ah, yes," Cecilia sighed, her fingers brushed his collar as she shifted her arms to wrap them around his neck and he was revisited with the want to kiss her, "you just want me to stay here so you can keep me all for yourself," yes; Edmund reasoned, that is what he wanted, though he knew that she was just being sarcastic. "Don't worry, we can still have play dates all the time." She leaned her head against his chest and he was sure that she could hear his heart beating.

"Cee," Edmund whispered into her hair, "D'you want to maybe go out to the balcony-?"

"May I cut in?" a deep voice came from outside the bubble that he and Cecilia were dancing in. Cecilia lifted her head abruptly and pulled slightly away. They both turned at the same time to see Rabadash looming over both of them smile.

A giggle escaped Cecilia lips and she turned away from Edmund offering Rabadash her hands,

"I thought you'd never ask." She told him in a soft voice.

Edmund groaned beside himself. He had definitely had enough of the party. Hoping to turn in early, he was about to leave when he caught the look on Rabadash's face from behind Cecilia's head. The older man was wearing a sort of defiant smirk and there was something a little too harsh in his eyes.

Edmund shook it off and hoped beyond hope that he'd at least be able to sleep that night.

* * *

_He never ever saw it coming at all/  
It's all right/ It's all right/ It's all right/  
__No one's got it all._

_Hero - Regina Spektor_

**Hopefully now you all have a greater idea of where this story is going...**

**also, apologies if it seems rushed, I sort of spouted out the last bit in an attempt to move on.**


	5. Chapter 5: Wake Up

_Wake Up_

* * *

Edmund made his way through the gardens of Cair Paravel, a thick, leather-bound book under his arm. He had hauled himself up in the library for the past two weeks and it was nice to finally get out in the fresh air after all that time.

Unfortunately for the young royals, there had been some civil unrest stemming from the dwarves in the northwestern areas of Narnia; all to do with wages and taxes. Edmund had spent the last fortnight drawing up an agreement that would hopefully settle the problem through the creation of more jobs, which would generate more trade and therefore more profit. He knew from experience that it was best to tread lightly when it came to these sorts of problems, which is why he had so generously volunteered to solve it when Peter held an emergency meeting the day after Lucy's birthday ball.

All the research the agreement had required meant that Edmund had not been able to attend the tournament that was being held at Cair Paravel in the week following Lucy's birthday. Though he put on a face in front of his siblings and their guests; missing the tournament had actually made dealing with the dwarves all the more appealing. He had decided since the ball that he needed some time apart from Cecilia. In fact, in the time that he had had, he had come to the consideration of the idea that he had no romantic feelings for her; but actually couldn't stand her at all. What else would cause him to need time away from her after only being together for a day?

She could hardly complain, he was sure that she had plenty of other, better things to keep her distracted. Susan had been rather sulky for the past week and he was positive that that must mean Cecilia had beat her out for Prince Rabadash's affections. Though, he thought with a smirk, apparently Peter had been able to take the Prince down a peg during the dueling part of the tournament.

The upside to all of this was that the tournament was now over and Edmund only needed to suffer through a few more days of avoiding Rabadash and Cecilia. It was because of this that he had decided to venture out of the nest that the back corner of the library had become, into the daylight. He had, of course, brought his reading with him, though the treaty was ready to be signed for the next day, there were still a few things that he wanted to read in more depth to be extra prepared.

"Hey Stranger." He winced at the voice behind him, "Where in the world have you been hiding?"

Cecilia appeared from a path behind him trailing leaves and petals from a hand picked bouquet.

"Working." Edmund said rather snidely

"Boo" she said in a bored tone, throwing a few flowers in his face, "work is lame." Fighting a smile, he tried to walk away from her, but she very easily fell into step with him.

"You know," Edmund began, "If you were queen, the whole country would shut down within the hour."

"Well what about married to the King? Surely there is nothing of importance attached to that title. Really, Ed, do you think you will let your future wife have any input in your work?"

"Well, if she had good ideas. And if she didn't, then I don't think that I'd be marrying her." Edmund told her, rolling his eyes.

"Why? What's wrong with her? She's a perfectly nice person, extremely good-looking, childbearing hips, and great smile. Why won't you marry her?"

"What is wrong with you? You are getting angry with me for refusing to marry a girl that you have made up for the purpose of this imaginary situation that you've just thought up to annoy me."

"I'm simply expressing that you should maybe stop looking down upon those who can not keep up with you intellectually, for they too are wonderful people and if you hold brain power so high when you judge a person then you will find that you are disappointed quite a lot." Cecilia nodded in affirmation, and looked sideways at Edmund.

"When are you going home?" Edmund asked gruffly.

"Oh Eddie," Edmund wrinkled his nose at the nickname, "you'll miss me when I'm gone."

"And when can I be expecting that?"

Cecilia stuck her tongue out at him, before turning her gaze out across the water that they were walking by, "If the Prince gets his way; the end of the week I'll be traveling out to the desert, perhaps on camel wearing sandals, and a patterned scarf in my hair"

"… Wearing sandals? What are you talking about?" Edmund, asked, stopping suddenly and whipping round towards her

"Prince Rabadash, he's invited me to Calormen for a few weeks to meet his father. I've yet to decide though." Edmund nearly dropped his book. He just looked at her speechless.

Cecilia scrunched her forehead up and looked at Edmund rather intensely for a moment before saying, "do you think Susan has a patterned scarf?"

As she walked away, trailing discarded flowers, Edmund couldn't help but think how much he hated to be wrong.

* * *

Cecilia groaned loudly in relief as she came into her bedroom later that night to prepare for bed. She had been entering her room in a similar fashion every night since the day after Lucy's ball; the first day that she spent with Prince Rabadash.

She changed out of her gown and into her nightgown without the help of a lady's maid (she had excused herself early from dinner) and sat at her vanity to take down her hair from its updo.

The thing about Prince Rabadash was that he was sinfully boring.

Their conversations were forced and awkward and she had had to resort to flirting quite heavily just to get some form of interesting reaction out of him, however, it was becoming quite an exhausting task to even talk to him. She shuddered as she mentally relived the two hour dinner she had just sat through. Their dinners all through the past fortnight had all been similarly dull, but tonight's had the added annoyance that Edmund had returned to table after two weeks of taking his meals in the library while working.

At first, she was more than excited to see him seated with Peter, heads bowed, discussing the recent reforms in hushed tones before their guests joined them, thinking of course she was in for a fun night. However, it took a turn for the worst almost immediately.

Naturally, she went to take the empty seat next to him, but Rabadash gestured for her to join him at the other end of the table. Then, about halfway though the meal, it became apparent to her that Edmund was ignoring her. She had phrased questions to him about the dwarfs and he simply stared at his plate, forcing Peter to answer for him. She made sure to be the one who passed him whatever food he asked for, but he refused to meet her eyes or to thank her.

She had become recently aware that Edmund may have more than friendly feelings towards her. Lucy had bluntly told her so after he had stormed out of the ball and the realization of which could have only been described as being hit with a brick.

It had been toying with her brain ever since.

Cecilia didn't know what to think of her situation these days. Her father's assembly wanted her married and an alliance with Calormen. Typically, they believed they had struck gold by 'killing two birds with one stone'.

She may, over all, be bored with her life and pretend to be indifferent, but she did love her country and her family; if she couldn't rule the country herself one day, then the least she could do was to make it easier for King Lune or Corin.

And what better way than to cement the bonds with other countries? The Pevensies would always be on the side of Archenland and vice versa; the families got along so well. But Calormen had always been a bit of wild cannon. It was a country that relied on tradition and rules more than both Archenland and Narnia combined, and, therefore, were less accepting of change.

Her father always told her that a woman's role was the most important. He had once told her that woman forge dynasties, because they give birth to new leaders. However, she grew up thinking that her role would be to one day mother the new leader of Archenland, _her_ country. The idea of her son sitting on the throne of her father and his father before him made her smile. It strengthen the bond she had with her mother, whom she barely remembered; the woman who died to give her father an heir. There was something so romantic about that to Cecilia; her mother's devotion to their family's lineage. But Cecilia's son would never sit on the throne of Archenland, best case scenario, he would one day rule a country of which half of it's laws she didn't agree with.

Women's rights were nearly non existent in Calormen. She had been researching the country immensely since the plan had been created, and she did not like barely anything that she had read. She often had daydreams in which she would marry Rabadash and then become a rebel and campaign for better living situations for all. But there was no question of her being a revolutionary in Calormen; anything she did to discredit the monarchy would completely go against the sole reason for her marrying Rabadash in the first place, and the idea frightened her almost as much as it excited her.

Edmund has been a non issue a year ago when her assembly began to discuss this idea. And she would have never guessed then that on the list of reasons for her not to marry Prince Rabadash, Edmund would be at the top.

What had changed? Why was she suddenly more attracted to him? Why did she enjoy being around him? Why did she have so much fun arguing with him and annoying him? And why did Rabadash never laugh at any of her jokes?

Edmund always laughed at her jokes.

What was the difference between the two? Rabadash had been nice enough to her so far and Edmund was barely ever nice to her. Rabadash treated her like a lady and Edmund pushed her around like a boy.

But she _liked_ it when Edmund made fun of her, because then she would make fun of _him_.

And she _hated_ being treated like a lady. Edmund may not treat her like a lady, but he listened to her and treated her as an _equal_. And that she much preferred.

Cecilia didn't think she was _in_ love with Edmund, _yet_. But she could very easily see herself falling in love with him quickly. Were the situation different, this trip could have been the thing to make it happen.

Recently, she couldn't help but think a lifetime married to Edmund would be natural. He would take her advice, and he would argue with her and then he would spend the night making it up to her. And if they were to have children, it would be because they loved each other and wanted them. She wouldn't be forced to produce an heir within a year of marriage (a strict law for Calormen brides) with Edmund.

She rolled her eyes at her inner thoughts. Really, it was embarrassing how often they drifted back to Edmund. It had only intensified in the two weeks that had elapsed between Lucy's birthday ball and now. Their conversation on the grounds earlier that day was the first time she had talked to him since Rabadash had interrupted their dance, which she had so enjoyed.

Even with her guest room right next to his bedroom, he had managed to elude her. She often heard his door open and close late at night and early in the morning, and sadly, her obsession had reached a peak when she realized that she couldn't sleep until she heard him come back at night.

These days she felt bipolar. Her outward appearance of nonchalance seemed to be fooling everyone, thankfully. But on the inside she was going crazy.

Really, she should transfer her acting skills to something useful.

Perhaps she should run away to join a traveling theatre company.

Just as the last of the pins had been removed and her long curls once again fell down her back and around her shoulders, there was a harsh knock on the door.

She jumped and before she could say or do anything, the door swung open and Edmund strode into the room.

"Right," he began, shutting and (she heard the click) locking the door behind him, "you are not marrying him." He declared it as though it was a known fact that they were both aware of. "And you are definitely not going to the desert next week."

"Why aren't you still at dinner?" Cecilia asked outraged as she pushed back on her chair and stood before him, "and who said you could just barge into my room uncalled for, chivalry isn't-"

"all dead." Edmund finished, waving his hand as if it didn't matter, "yes, I know, you've told me before..." It was at this point that Edmund chose to look down at her thin, white nightgown and seemed to be at a lose for words.

"Oi," Cecilia yelled, "eyes up here Pevensie!" she reached for her silk dressing gown, slipped it on and cinched it at the waist. "My point." she said victoriously.

"Oh, whatever, you know I don't care about seeing you like this-"

"Clearly you do."

Edmund rolled his eyes, "that's besides the point," he took a step closer.

"And what, dear King, is the point?" Cecilia asked, determined to sound as bored as possible, though her heart was racing.

"The point is you can't marry him. He's awful! He's so dull, and you think it too," she scoffed and Edmund took another step closer, "I know you Cecilia, and I saw how frustrated you were becoming tonight. You realise that you didn't talk for a solid twenty minutes before you excused yourself? Is conversation really that strained?" she was very quickly losing her resolve. "Have you even stopped to think if you're bored now, how will you feel in fifty years? You and I both know that he would never be able to make you as happy as..." Edmund trailed off, searching for what he was trying to say

"... you?" Cecilia asked softly. There were only a few inches between them now and she had seemed to render Edmund speechless (in another time this would have made her very happy) and she was just a bundle of anticipation, waiting for something to happen, but afraid of what it might be or mean. Her eyes moved from his eyes to his lips and back again, she was seconds away from closing the gap between them and giving in to what every cell in her body was screaming for when another knock came at the door.

she jumped and stepped back as Edmund's eyes darted to the door behind him. The sound of someone trying to turn the handle came and they exchanged confused and nervous looks before Cecilia called out, "who is it?"

"It is I, Rabadash, princess." Cecilia's eyes widened and she turned to Edmund, horror-struck.

"Just a moment" she managed out as Edmund rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but she clamped her hand over his lips (ignoring how soft they felt on her palm) and pushed him backwards into her open wardrobe, giving him a stern look, she shut the doors.

Cinching the tie on her dressing gown tighter she went to unlock the door,

"I'm terribly sorry, I was just changing." She smiled and brushed her hair off of her shoulders as she motioned for him to come in, though she deliberately left the door open in the hopes that he wouldn't stay long.

"I just wanted to check in on you after supper, I was afraid you weren't quite yourself." He stood quite still in the middle of her room with his hands clasped behind him. She couldn't help but think how out of place he looked,

"Oh, yes. I seem to just have a slight stomach upset, but nothing a good nights sleep won't cure I'm sure." She lied easily

"I hope it does not escalate to anything worse, King Edmund excused himself after you as well, so hopefully there isn't a bug going around." Rabadash told her,

"Really?" Cecilia had to stop herself from looking to her wardrobe, "I'm sure he was off to the library to finish up some work."

"Yes, he does keep himself very busy."

"Well, he's the king of a country, you must be looking forward to being that busy one day."

he shook his head with a laugh and there was a pause that was just a little too long.

"I do hope that you have almost come to your decision about our trip, I would so like to show you my country."

"Or course," Cecilia nodded, "I'm just awaiting a letter from my father. It should be any day now and I'll have an answer for you."

Rabadash smiled at her, and somehow, Cecilia wasn't comforted by it.

"I will let you rest. You must be well for our journey." to her relief, he began to walk to the doorway,

"Thank you, I suppose I will see you tomorrow?" she asked as she followed him,

"Yes. Goodnight princess." He gave a small bow before walking into the hall and she shut the door, locking it once more.

She leaned back against the door for a few seconds to collect herself. Upon the sound of the lock clicking into place, Edmund pushed through the wardrobe doors, and reached Cecilia in two long strides. Before she could stop him, before she could even ask him what he was doing, he brought his lips to hers. Five excruciatingly long seconds passed while Cecilia seemed to process what was happening, before her hands went to his hair and he felt her smile against his lips.

Unlike last time, there was nothing stopping them, Edmund was trying to prove to her how perfect they were together, and judging from her reactions she was beginning to understand.

* * *

_Children wake up,_  
_hold your mistake up,_  
_before they turn the summer into dust_

_Wake Up - The Arcade Fire_


End file.
